Corsham

Former Corsham School teacher jailed for sexual assaults

Former Corsham School music teacher Robert Peter Hughes has today been sentenced to 12 years at Swindon Crown Court for the sexual assaults on two pupils.

The sexual assaults started in 1999 when he was teaching at the school. Hughes, 40, from Bath, was found guilty yesterday at Swindon Crown Court of four offences of indecent assault, three offences of a serious sexual offence and one offence of rape on one of the two pupils who was 15 at the time when she was first sexually abused by him.

The sexual assaults were carried out from 1998 until 2000.

Hughes was also found guilty of three offences of indecent assault on another 15-year-old pupil, the second pupil, who attended the same school in 1998.

Following the sentence, Louisa Thomas, Senior Crown Prosecutor for CPS Wessex Rape and Serious Sexual Offences Unit (RASSO) said: “This was an appalling case where Hughes abused his position as music teacher to commit a number of serious sexual assaults on two of his pupils, including the rape of one of them.

“He took advantage of the vulnerability and innocence of two 15-year-old girls to sexually abuse them and to convince them not to report the crimes to the police at the time.

“We would like to thank this young woman for having the courage to report this crime to the police.

"As a result of the investigation, Wiltshire Police found that he had abused another victim and with this prosecution, Robert Hughes can no longer pretend that he is a respectable music teacher.

"The jury during his trial heard how he robbed the innocence of these two young women.

“We hope now that with this sentence the victims will be able to move on with their lives.”